Replacing my broken rear spring, I guess I shall have to replace both left and right.

Which other parts than the springs themselves do I require to perform the replacement?

Would it be recommendable to replace the shock absorbers as well? Recommended products would be welcome to get my MK1 approved. No general heavy duty, though mainly short distances on far from smooth (on icy snowy roads). 

 

I was not able to detect any previous discussion covering this.

Do you mean which tools are required to replace them or which other parts should you consider replacing at the same time?

 

There's not much else to the rear suspension - bushes for the rear beam, shocks and top mounts. Mine has had shocks (Bilstein) and top mounts done. Bushes rarely need doing.

 

Replacing the shocks, springs or top mounts is pretty straightforward. Get both wheels off the ground (don't put a trolley jack in the centre of the rear beam to do this!) and secure on axle stands. Remove wheels. Use a jack under the spring and undo the lower shock absorber bolt. Lower the jack until you can remove the spring. The most tricky bits will be freeing bolts that might not have moved for about 20 years - use release spray and be patient. Also take care to put things back together in the right order when replacing shocks/top mounts.

 

Edit: The above is for 2wd models, the rear suspension is different on 4x4 models and I'm not familiar with them.

Edited 19 December, 20223 yr by petrolbloke

Thank You, Petrolbroke, confirmed your advice - even for my 4x4.

I'm expecting the springs after Christmas, being replace by "my good friend", with necessary hardware/tools.

You should definitely change the foam bump stops which also retain the piston shroud, they have probably already decomposed into nothingness.

 

They are dirt cheap, if by looking under the wheelarch you cannot see the piston rod of the shock absorber the shrouds are in place, if you can they will have dropped down, look at the bottom of the shocker, it's possible that a previous owner will have cut them away because of the rattling noise they make or someone who has previously changed the shocks did not refit them because the foam bump stop would no longer retain them, they are dirt cheap as well but with both you want to order in advance of needing them to avoid doing the job twice.

+1 on the bump stops. Forgot about those in my previous post. Mine were crumbling when I replaced them!

Thank you.

I will replace the bump stops as well.

Apart from this the replacement went well after having fought rusted bolts in 24 hours.